


Guardian Angels

by wicked3659



Category: Supernatural, due South
Genre: Crossover, Friendship/Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:07:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25554799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wicked3659/pseuds/wicked3659
Summary: Benton Fraser is first visited by the angel Castiel when he is 6 years old. Castiel ponders what it means.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 19





	Guardian Angels

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting in either Due South or Supernatural fandoms. I was enabled. 
> 
> Please be kind.

**First Visit**

“You know your… weakness for the humans will get you into trouble one of these days.” 

Castiel looked at his brother Gabriel blankly. “It is our duty as angels of the Lord to--”

Gabriel held up his hand, “--Don’t preach to me about duty, I know our duty. God hasn’t shared his designs for this one, so why are you so interested?”

Canting his head thoughtfully, Castiel continued to watch, “His soul, it’s different. Radiant. Rare.”

“So what? Why does that make you think he’s destined for God’s purpose?” Gabriel couldn’t keep the disdain out of his voice. 

“I cannot speak for God.”

The two angels fell quiet and watched as the woman played with her young son in the snow in front of their warm cabin, not noticing a man approaching them through the trees. Upon hearing his footsteps crunching in the snow, the woman straightened and turned, putting her son behind her. The man raised his shotgun and fired one shot. She dropped like a stone, her blood staining the pristine snow. 

Castiel was compelled to move towards the boy who simply stared wordlessly up at the man, his face splattered with the blood of his mother. Gabriel caught him, “You shouldn’t interfere.”

“When has that ever stopped us?” 

Gabriel sighed and let his brother go. “These humans will be the death of you, brother.”

When Castiel felt the snow crunch beneath his feet, the man was gone and the young boy was knelt beside his dead mother staring blankly into the trees as though waiting for someone. His deep blue eyes seemed too old for such a young child and Castiel could see into the poor boy’s radiant soul, it’s light growing dimmer as time passed. Sitting beside the boy on the step of the cabin, he let his ethereal wings curl about him, protecting him from the bitter cold and the hypothermia that would soon follow. It was the least he could do. A soul this bright and pure was put on the Earth for a reason. It was his duty as an angel to see God’s plan unfold. 

“Did you see him?” the small voice asked.

Castiel’s head turned sharply towards the boy who could be no more than six years old and opened his mouth in surprise to find those blue eyes gazing up at him. 

“The man? He was here. I think you scared him away,” the boy continued, his gaze returning to his mother. “She isn’t getting up is she?” 

Still shocked the boy could see him, Castiel took a few moments to answer. “No, her soul has passed.” 

The boy just nodded mutely. 

“You can see me?” Castiel asked tentatively. 

The boy wiped at his eyes and sniffled. “Saw a bright light and wings, I was frightened so I closed my eyes. When I opened them, you were here.” 

Only certain humans, special humans could bear to see an angel’s true form even if only for a second. Castiel allowed himself a small smile, he had been right about this one. 

“Are you here to take me away too? Will I see my mom again?” 

Castiel shook his head. “Not yet. You will see her again but not yet.” 

The boy leaned into Castiel’s side and let himself cry. Despite himself, Castiel curled an arm around him and held him until his sobs melted into silence. “Will you stay until…?”

“Yes, Benton, I’ll stay. Until.”

Stay he did, holding the boy gently as he finally slept, his angelic wings keeping away the cold just enough that his heart would continue to beat and his blood would continue to flow. He stayed until a dark figure appeared and raced towards them. The man dropped beside the woman with a wail. Upon finding her gone, he turned quickly to the boy, his hands trembling as he called Benton’s name. 

Castiel watched as the man sobbed with relief when the boy, too pale and too cold to the touch opened his eyes groggily. The man didn’t see Castiel as he gathered up the boy and carried him into the cabin. 

“Satisfied?” 

Castiel glanced up at his brother. “He saw me.”

Gabriel smiled and held out his hand. “It’s unbecoming of an angel to say I told you so.” 

****

**Second Visit**

Castiel stood on the lee side of Fortitude Pass, the blizzard raging around him. 

“You shouldn’t interfere,” Gabriel cautioned with weary patience.

“They’ll die.” 

“It is her time. Her soul has a darkness inside ...” 

“He made a choice to save her anyway,” Castiel looked at the two humans huddled together beneath the lean-to, with only the mountie’s coat shielding them from the brunt of the storm. “He’s not like others.”

“He’s a fool, brother,” Gabriel let out a long-suffering sigh. “If you were human, I’d accuse you of having a bleeding heart.”

“It’s a good job I’m not human then.” Castiel stepped forward into the snow, hearing it crunch beneath his feet once more. His feathered wings unfurled and curled over the lean-to, preventing the snow from burying the pair and the bitter cold from taking them. He saw the mountie’s eyes flutter open just once and those deep blue eyes met his own. The depths in those blue irises was striking, saying so much without saying a word before closing again. The woman recited a poem over and over, her voice cutting through the roar of the blizzard. Castiel felt the cold of her human soul settle inside of him when she spoke. She would hurt the man Benton had become, Castiel already knew that she would cast shadows in his soul and he would lose himself. He made the choice regardless. The angel knew that without shadow one could not see the light. Remembering the young Benton’s quiet plea, he stayed until the storm had passed, sheltering them from death. 

****

**Third Visit**

Benton Fraser rubbed his face tiredly and sat heavily in his chair, after Inspector Thatcher had left, not bothering to change out of his uniform. He rubbed the bruised lip where Ray Kowalski’s fist had struck him earlier that day and dropped his chin to his chest in despair. How had things gotten so clouded and twisted? 

“Hello, Benton.”

Starting, the mountie stood instantly and stared at the dark-haired man with curious blue eyes that studied him intently. “How did you get in here?” 

“I am not sure. Perhaps the door?”

“Are you… lost?” Benton Fraser asked incredulously, he had the strangest feeling that he knew this man from somewhere. His face seemed familiar and yet not. 

“Of a sort,” Castiel admitted. “Or rather I may have lost someone.” 

“How did you know my name?” 

“We’ve met twice before, Benton. You asked me to stay.”

Eyes widening in surprise, Benton sank into his chair. “I always thought I had dreamt you.”

Castiel gave the man a small smile. “You shouldn’t have been able to see me.”

“Well, I have always suspected that I may have a hole in my bag of marbles but am I correct in saying that you shouldn’t have interfered in order for me to see you?” Benton smiled knowingly. “Castiel,” he rubbed his eyebrow with his thumb. “How do I know your name?”

“You’re different. Some would say special,” Castiel sat in the other chair with a weary sigh. 

“A freak?” Benton offered with amusement. 

“He calls you that,” the angel regarded the mountie curiously. “Your Ray…your partner,” 

Benton’s smile faded, “He did, I doubt he’ll be calling me anything for much longer.” 

“I see.” 

Frowning a little in concern, Benton leant forward, his hands clasping in front of him on his desk, “You seem different. Do you want to talk about whom you lost?” 

“He isn’t lost yet,” Castiel answered cryptically. “I… hurt him. I think. Humans struggle with forgiveness and trust, not that I should expect it after what I have done or rather will do to him. Yet, I cannot stand to see him in pain. I need to help him and he will not let me but the end is coming. I am running out of time. If I have lost him then I fear all is lost.” 

“You care for this man,” Benton stated simply. 

“We share a profound bond. I cannot explain, it should not have been possible.” 

Benton spoke softly, “There is a Hassidic parable of a man who went into the woods. He went into the woods to hunt, but lost his way. For days he wandered in the forest, disoriented and confused, desperately trying to find his way out. He was hopeless. After some time, he saw another man approaching in the distance. At last, he thought to himself, “a person who knows how to get out of this forest.” When they met, he asked the man, “My brother, can you tell me the way out of this forest? I have been wandering for days, but have been unable to find the way.” The other fellow answered, “Brother, I do not know the way out either. I, too, have been wandering about these woods for days. Let us journey on together. Perhaps, side by side, we can figure a way out.” The man was no longer hopeless.” Benton looked up to find Castiel gazing at him attentively a barely visible smile on his lips. 

“Partners,” Castiel stated simply, knowingly. 

Benton’s breath caught in his throat and he gave a meek nod. “Partners.” 

“You care for him.”

Benton lowered his gaze and felt the tension inside of him squeezing at his heart and lungs. He could no longer deny it to himself. 

“Yet, you carry a heavy burden,” Castiel continued, his voice wistful. “A darkness that isn’t your own.” 

Looking up sharply at the man, Benton Fraser stilled a cold dread curling about his heart. “I… everyone I have ever cared about has…” he shook his head, unable to get out the words. 

“Let go of the shadows so you can see the light,” Castiel urged gently. “And then we can walk with them in the forest so we are no longer lost.” He let out a deep sigh. “I never understood how you could see me or why I was drawn to protect you. Now I see, now I understand.” he reached across the table and rested his hand over Benton’s. “Thank you, Benton, you may have just saved creation,” he smiled warmly. “I know what I must do now.” 

Blinking at the man as he stood, his eyes widened as he caught the glimpse of searing light and the shadows of vast wings cast onto the walls of his office. “You’re an angel,” he declared breathlessly, “I think I always knew.” 

“You know what you must do, Benton. When he asks, you will know.” 

Thunder cracked loudly outside in the Chicago night and the rain started to fall as lightning illuminated his small window, drawing Benton’s gaze. When he looked back, he found himself alone once more. When his phone rang he practically leapt out of his seat. “Good evening, Constable Benton Fraser speaking,” he answered automatically. 

“Fraser… it’s me. Can you come to the lake?” 

“Ray, of course. Are you alright?” 

“No, uh yeah, I will be, just gotta make things even, just come alright?”

“Of course, Ray, whatever you need.” 

****

Castiel opened his eyes and breathed slowly, feeling more sure of himself now, despite finding himself still in Purgatory, with no time having passed.

“Dean.”

“We should split up,” Dean bit out, glancing at Castiel. 

“It will only increase our chances of getting killed,” Castiel held out his hand to the man, his gaze not wavering from the hunter’s determined glare. “Follow me?” 

After a moment, Dean nodded and took hold of Castiel’s hand. 

****  
  



End file.
